BOSTON - The City of Boston is looking for businesses and organizations that have made an effort to promote English-language proficiency to the immigrant workforce.
      In conjunction with the English Works Campaign, the city will be awarding certificates of recognition to local businesses and joint labor-management programs that support English language classes for immigrants in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
      "Employers who make English language programs readily accessible for employees are making a smart business investment in their most important asset - their employees," said Mayor Thomas Menino. "In the last eight years Boston has invested $2 million from the Neighborhood Jobs Trust in ESOL programs at local community organizations and to pilot workplace based programs."
      Certificates will be awarded to private, public and non-profit employers and joint labor-management programs. Other key labor, community, and educational organizations that in partnership with awardees, have demonstrated leadership in the provision of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) services will also be awarded.
      All awards will be presented by Mayor Menino or his designee and announced publicly.
      Nominations for the award are being accepted now by the English Works Campaign Steering Committee. The nomination form can be downloaded at http://tinyurl.com/EW-Certificate-Form and should be submitted by Dec. 5, 2008.
      Self-nominations are accepted and encouraged. The Steering Committee will review nominations quarterly and make final decisions taking industry, region and size of the business or institution into consideration.
      The English Works Campaign is a coalition of immigrant community leaders, labor unions, business and civic leaders, educators, and advocates across Massachusetts working toward a Commonwealth that provides all residents with a pathway to economic self-sufficiency; ensures a stable, skilled workforce for Massachusetts businesses today and in the future; and integrates immigrants into the fabric of our economy, communities and shared civic life.
      For more information, please call Claudia Green at 617-350-5480, ext. 203 or send an e-mail to englishworks@miracoalition.org